STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3489

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 78

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 78, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A FAMILY CAREGIVERS WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE AND ASSESS THE ROLE OF CAREGIVING FOR PATIENTS RELEASED FROM HOSPITALS, THE STATE OF THEIR OVERALL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY NEEDED AND AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a family caregivers working group to examine and assess the role of caregiving for patients released from hospitals, the state of their overall circumstances, and the resources in the community needed and available to assist them.

     In addition, this measure requests that the working group examine and assess the state of the current practice of caregiver designation, notification, involvement in discharge planning, and training and make legislative and regulatory recommendations on how best to involve caregivers in patient discharge and prepare caregivers for after-care tasks.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the role of family caregivers has greatly expanded to encompass many areas of patient care that require increased expertise and skill, such as medical and nursing tasks.  This has resulted in uncertainty in defining the role of hospitals in the training of caregivers as well as the availability of community resources that may assist in training family caregivers.

Your Committee believes that this measure will provide the needed insight into the role of family caregivers, hospitals, and community resources in ensuring that family caregivers are equipped with the necessary training and skills to deliver the proper services needed for a patient's continued recovery.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 78, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair